Healthy School Food Collaborative

The Pitch

The Healthy School Food Collaborative, an initiative of KIPP New Orleans and Propeller, is a Propeller-funded School Food Authority (SFA) serving a healthy breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper to 26 New Orleans charter schools. The KIPPSFA, Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI), and Propeller hold school vendors accountable to raised nutritional standards—no fried food, no canned fruit, no high-fructose corn syrup, and fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

James Graham

The Entrepreneur

James Graham serves as the Director of Federal Programs and Contracts at KIPP New Orleans, where he acts as an expert interface between schools to negotiate and solve contractual and business related issues. James received his J.D. from Loyola University of Law, and an MBA and MEd from the University of New Orleans.

The Opportunity/Challenge

Over a third of Louisiana teenagers are overweight or obese. Public schoolchildren consume the majority of their calories at school, making school food a key lever for change in lowering rates of childhood obesity.

The Impact

Generated $9.8 million in revenue to serve 48% of all NOLA public schools

“With the help of Propeller’s visionary and Executive Director, Andrea Chen, KIPP’s healthy food initiative is tackling childhood obesity, which we hope down the line, will reduce Louisiana’s overall obesity rate among adults. Equally important is the impact that healthy food will have on student academic achievement. Our school partners and organizations like Propeller, who focus on social innovation, are our teammates in this endeavor.”

James GrahamDirector of Federal Programs and Grants, KIPP New Orleans

About Us

Propeller is a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that incubates and launches socially minded ventures from its coworking space on Washington and Broad, where workspace and event space are available for rent. (more)